ICAC continues to uphold Hong Kong’s rule of law and probity culture amidst challenges
2021-2-1
The ICAC had remained steadfast in responding to the volatile environment posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and continued to uphold the anti-corruption mission as well as safeguard the rule of law in Hong Kong, said Mr Martin Liao Cheung-kong, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Corruption (ACOC).
Speaking today (February 1) at the annual press conference to review the work of the ICAC’s advisory committees, Mr Liao noted that corruption in Hong Kong continued to be well under control and the probity culture had been firmly rooted in the society despite year 2020 was fraught with challenges.
Citing findings of the 2020 ICAC Annual Survey, Mr Liao said most of the respondents or 98.4% had not encountered corruption personally in the past 12 months, and 93.2% of the respondents considered the ICAC deserved their support.
“The ACOC is pleased with the ICAC’s achievement in anti-corruption work locally as well as its continuous efforts in promoting collaboration in the international arena. Hong Kong continues to be acclaimed internationally for its anti-corruption efforts and probity environment,” Mr Liao noted.
In the Corruption Perceptions Index 2020 released by the Transparency International in late January, Hong Kong was ranked the 11th least corrupt place among 180 countries/regions, rising 5 places from 2019 and the highest since the Index was launched in 1995.
In the past year, the ICAC continued to expand its global network and strengthen anti-corruption collaboration with different jurisdictions despite significant disruptions. Dialogues were underway with the Asian Development Bank to arrange a series of online training programme on corruption prevention and community education for its member countries while capacity building programmes would be provided to various Belt and Road countries in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Mr Liao noted.
Joining Mr Liao at the press conference today were Mr Benjamin Tang Kwok-bun, Chairman of the Operations Review Committee (ORC); Mr Adrian Wong Koon-man, Chairman of the Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee (CPAC); and Professor Timothy Tong Wai-cheung, Chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations (CACCR).
Further elaborating on findings of the 2020 ICAC Annual Survey, CACCR Chairman Professor Tong noted that the public remained highly intolerant of corruption. Using a 0 to 10 rating scale, of which 0 represented total rejection and 10 total tolerance of corruption, the mean score for 2020 was 0.4, close to a zero tolerance.
In addition, a majority of the respondents or 81.7% said they were willing to report corruption, the highest percentage registered since 2010, Professor Tong said. He added that almost all respondents (98.0%) considered keeping Hong Kong corruption-free was important to the overall development of Hong Kong, reflecting that integrity remained a core value of the community.
The ICAC Annual Survey was conducted by an independent polling agency between June and November 2020. Through face-to-face or telephone household interviews of over 1,500 randomly selected citizens, the survey helped gauge public perceptions and attitudes towards corruption, as well as their views on the ICAC’s anti-graft work.
Professor Tong noted that the Community Relations Department (CRD) of the ICAC would continue to engage young people in its probity education through both online and offline platforms.
An “All-for-Integrity Signature Event” would be rolled out to reinforce public support for the mission of combating corruption through extensive community participation. An integrity education programme would also be launched for primary schools, Professor Tong added.
Meanwhile, Mr Benjamin Tang, Chairman of ORC, gave an account of the overall corruption scene. In 2020, excluding election complaints, the ICAC received 1,924 corruption complaints, representing a drop of 16% from that of 2019. Of the complaints, 59% concerned the private sector, 33% related to government departments while 8% involved public bodies.
Mr Tang attributed the drop of corruption complaints to a notable decrease in the number of complaints concerning the private sector, which was likely due to the substantial decrease in economic activities during the pandemic as well as the public’s preoccupation with other political, social and economic issues.
Notwithstanding the drop in complaints, the workload of the ICAC remained heavy. The Commission would stay vigilant and guard against possible corruption risks in times of economic downturn to maintain Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.
“The ICAC has been steadfast in ensuring that the principles of lawfulness, fairness and impartiality are upheld, and has carried out enforcement action without fear or favour. The ICAC remains one of the institutions that helped uphold the rule of law, a pillar of success for Hong Kong,” Mr Tang noted.
Despite increased politicisation and polarisation in the Hong Kong society, the Operations Department had investigated all reports of corruption independently, in accordance with the law and irrespective of the background, status, and position of the persons involved, and sought legal advice in a timely manner from the Department of Justice, Mr Tang added.
During the year, the Commission also received 850 election complaints in respect of the 2019 District Council (DC) Election, of which 817 were pursuable. Eighteen election complaints, of which 17 were pursuable, were registered in respect of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Election originally scheduled for September 2020.
While the LegCo Election had been postponed to September this year due to the pandemic, the ICAC would continue to work in concert with relevant stakeholders to ensure a fair and clean election.
Echoing Mr Tang, CPAC Chairman Mr Wong said the Corruption Prevention Department (CPD) would continue to assist the government in strengthening procedural controls against corrupt and illegal practices in the upcoming LegCo Election and other public elections in 2021-2022.
In view of public concerns and allegations of possible malpractices in the 2019 DC Election, the CPD had proposed to the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau a number of measures for enhancing the integrity of the operations in polling and counting stations, Mr Wong noted.
In 2020, the CPAC endorsed 65 assignment reports completed by the CPD. The department also provided corruption prevention advice for government departments and other organisations on over 970 occasions.
In addition, a Corruption Prevention Guide on Regulatory Enforcement was developed for non-disciplined service departments and public bodies to enhance their corruption prevention capability and awareness while carrying out regulatory enforcement work under their purviews.
The CPAC endorsed CPD’s strategy of according work priority to government’s new initiatives, as well as issues involving people’s livelihood or public safety, Mr Wong said.
Speaking today (February 1) at the annual press conference to review the work of the ICAC’s advisory committees, Mr Liao noted that corruption in Hong Kong continued to be well under control and the probity culture had been firmly rooted in the society despite year 2020 was fraught with challenges.
Citing findings of the 2020 ICAC Annual Survey, Mr Liao said most of the respondents or 98.4% had not encountered corruption personally in the past 12 months, and 93.2% of the respondents considered the ICAC deserved their support.
“The ACOC is pleased with the ICAC’s achievement in anti-corruption work locally as well as its continuous efforts in promoting collaboration in the international arena. Hong Kong continues to be acclaimed internationally for its anti-corruption efforts and probity environment,” Mr Liao noted.
In the Corruption Perceptions Index 2020 released by the Transparency International in late January, Hong Kong was ranked the 11th least corrupt place among 180 countries/regions, rising 5 places from 2019 and the highest since the Index was launched in 1995.
In the past year, the ICAC continued to expand its global network and strengthen anti-corruption collaboration with different jurisdictions despite significant disruptions. Dialogues were underway with the Asian Development Bank to arrange a series of online training programme on corruption prevention and community education for its member countries while capacity building programmes would be provided to various Belt and Road countries in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Mr Liao noted.
Joining Mr Liao at the press conference today were Mr Benjamin Tang Kwok-bun, Chairman of the Operations Review Committee (ORC); Mr Adrian Wong Koon-man, Chairman of the Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee (CPAC); and Professor Timothy Tong Wai-cheung, Chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations (CACCR).
Further elaborating on findings of the 2020 ICAC Annual Survey, CACCR Chairman Professor Tong noted that the public remained highly intolerant of corruption. Using a 0 to 10 rating scale, of which 0 represented total rejection and 10 total tolerance of corruption, the mean score for 2020 was 0.4, close to a zero tolerance.
In addition, a majority of the respondents or 81.7% said they were willing to report corruption, the highest percentage registered since 2010, Professor Tong said. He added that almost all respondents (98.0%) considered keeping Hong Kong corruption-free was important to the overall development of Hong Kong, reflecting that integrity remained a core value of the community.
The ICAC Annual Survey was conducted by an independent polling agency between June and November 2020. Through face-to-face or telephone household interviews of over 1,500 randomly selected citizens, the survey helped gauge public perceptions and attitudes towards corruption, as well as their views on the ICAC’s anti-graft work.
Professor Tong noted that the Community Relations Department (CRD) of the ICAC would continue to engage young people in its probity education through both online and offline platforms.
An “All-for-Integrity Signature Event” would be rolled out to reinforce public support for the mission of combating corruption through extensive community participation. An integrity education programme would also be launched for primary schools, Professor Tong added.
Meanwhile, Mr Benjamin Tang, Chairman of ORC, gave an account of the overall corruption scene. In 2020, excluding election complaints, the ICAC received 1,924 corruption complaints, representing a drop of 16% from that of 2019. Of the complaints, 59% concerned the private sector, 33% related to government departments while 8% involved public bodies.
Mr Tang attributed the drop of corruption complaints to a notable decrease in the number of complaints concerning the private sector, which was likely due to the substantial decrease in economic activities during the pandemic as well as the public’s preoccupation with other political, social and economic issues.
Notwithstanding the drop in complaints, the workload of the ICAC remained heavy. The Commission would stay vigilant and guard against possible corruption risks in times of economic downturn to maintain Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.
“The ICAC has been steadfast in ensuring that the principles of lawfulness, fairness and impartiality are upheld, and has carried out enforcement action without fear or favour. The ICAC remains one of the institutions that helped uphold the rule of law, a pillar of success for Hong Kong,” Mr Tang noted.
Despite increased politicisation and polarisation in the Hong Kong society, the Operations Department had investigated all reports of corruption independently, in accordance with the law and irrespective of the background, status, and position of the persons involved, and sought legal advice in a timely manner from the Department of Justice, Mr Tang added.
During the year, the Commission also received 850 election complaints in respect of the 2019 District Council (DC) Election, of which 817 were pursuable. Eighteen election complaints, of which 17 were pursuable, were registered in respect of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Election originally scheduled for September 2020.
While the LegCo Election had been postponed to September this year due to the pandemic, the ICAC would continue to work in concert with relevant stakeholders to ensure a fair and clean election.
Echoing Mr Tang, CPAC Chairman Mr Wong said the Corruption Prevention Department (CPD) would continue to assist the government in strengthening procedural controls against corrupt and illegal practices in the upcoming LegCo Election and other public elections in 2021-2022.
In view of public concerns and allegations of possible malpractices in the 2019 DC Election, the CPD had proposed to the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau a number of measures for enhancing the integrity of the operations in polling and counting stations, Mr Wong noted.
In 2020, the CPAC endorsed 65 assignment reports completed by the CPD. The department also provided corruption prevention advice for government departments and other organisations on over 970 occasions.
In addition, a Corruption Prevention Guide on Regulatory Enforcement was developed for non-disciplined service departments and public bodies to enhance their corruption prevention capability and awareness while carrying out regulatory enforcement work under their purviews.
The CPAC endorsed CPD’s strategy of according work priority to government’s new initiatives, as well as issues involving people’s livelihood or public safety, Mr Wong said.